Ulele Awards

Ulele Restaurant Review:

The restaurant is set inside a vintage Tampa Heights venue, the 1903 Water Works, near the Hillsborough River and the city’s expanding River Walk. The concept comes from the Gonzmart family of the famed Columbia restaurant chain found throughout Florida. The menu promotes farm-to-table fare using ingredients native to the Sunshine State, from beef to seafood and produce. Beef comes from Florida’s Strickland Ranch, while the oysters are harvested in the nearby Gulf of Mexico. Down-home choices include okra fries, hand-cut and tossed in freshly squeezed lime juice and kosher salt, served with homemade ketchup. Florida Jumpers are fresh, crisp fried frogs’ legs with sherry garlic. An engaging entrée is Water Works Meatloaf --- ground dry-aged strip loin in a garlic demi-glaze with mashed potatoes and tobacco onions, and seasonal vegetables, garnished with white cheddar popcorn. Craft beers are handily available from a list that includes Ruby Red and Water Works Pale.